Qnap Systems is shipping a DLNA-ready device billed as a cross between a set-top box and a network-attached storage (NAS) server. Designed to catalog and play networked media content on a TV, the NMP-1000 offers HDMI and gigabit Ethernet ports, plus up to 2TB of storage, says the company.

The NMP-1000 is an IP set-top box (STB) that sits between a home network (via gigabit Ethernet) and a TV (via HDMI, component, and other interfaces) to enable playback of media on networked devices. The device complies with the DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) network discovery standard, supporting playback of digital picture slide shows, home videos, purchased content, and shared iTunes libraries, says Qnap. Users can also stream media from Internet sites such as Flickr or YouTube, the company adds.

The NMP-1000 supports a wide range of formats for playing back digital pictures, videos, movies, and music, says Qnap. With an HDTV, the NMP-1000 is claimed to be capable of playing 1080p HD video.

Qnap NMP-1000

(Click to enlarge)

Equipped with a MIPS-based Sigma Designs SMP8635 media decoder processor clocked at 300MHz, the NMP-1000 offers 256MB DDR RAM and 64MB flash. A 3.5-inch hard disk drive (HDD) is available in capacities up to 2TB, says Qnap. In addition to the gigabit Ethernet port, the device is available with optional 802.11n WiFi, as well as a host of audio/video interfaces for connecting to HDTVs and other digital and analog sets (see diagram and spec list below).

NMP-1000 detail

The NMP-1000 incorporates NAS technologies found in Qnap's Linux-based Turbo NAS servers, such as the SS-439 Pro Turbo NAS. These include features such as automatic network backup, file storage, and file sharing, says the company. Although by presstime Qnap had yet to confirm the device's embedded Linux operating system, its Turbo NAS pedigree would certainly suggest Linux. The device is said to support networks based on Linux, Windows, or Macintosh computers.

Stated Meiji Chang, CEO of Qnap, "QNAP's ground-breaking NMP-1000 Network Multimedia Player is the definitive product that bridges the gap between the home network and the living room. Users are clamoring to centrally store and enjoy all their digital content in the living room and the NMP-1000 just fits the bill."

Availability

The NMP-1000 is available now, at an undisclosed price. More information may be found here.